Tree-protector.



E. W. LILJEGRAN.

TREE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28,1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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B. W. LILJEGRAN.

TREE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28, 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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TE p ltfi'lllliltfl ERNEST W. LILJEGRAN, OF MEDFORD, OREGON.

TREE-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

Application filed August 28, 1912. Serial No. 717,563.

To all whom '1' i may concern Be it known that .T, ERNEST V. Lininena'u,a citizen of the United States, residing at Medford, in the county ofJackson and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvementsin l ree-1rotectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tree protectors, the object in view being tosimplify and int-- prove the construction disclosed in my co.- ]')ending application, filed May 25th, 1912, Serial No. 699,815.

One object of the present invention is to provide means whereby thebooms and the cover carried thereby may be more readily and accuratelyfolded upward against the mast, so as to admit of the protector beingcollapsed and placed between the branches or limbs of the tree, inconnection with which it is used.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the mastmay be folded to more effectually house the body t the protector amongthe branches or limbs of the tree.

One of the principal objects of this in vention is to provide means fordepressing the booms with certainty, upon releasing the operating cords,so as to cause said booms to move from their folded to their spread outor operative positions, thereby insuring the proper spreading of thecover or canopy of the protector.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto a ppended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tree protector,embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3is a side elevation, showing the curtain raised. Fig. 1- is a similarview, showing the protector fully collapsed with the booms swung upwardagainst the mast. Fig. 5 is an enlarged diametrical section through theupper portion of the protector. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the centerportion of the protector, omitting the cover. Fig. 7 is a detail view,showing the connection between the relatively :lolding portions ot' themast. Fig, 8 is a detail perspective view o'l one oi. the spring holdingclips, showing a portion ot one of the springs. Fig. 9 is an enlargeddetail section oi. the combined cou pling' and clamp for the frog. Fig.10 is a. similar view of the top collar, mast, head and ch'unping nut.

The tree protector contemplated in this invention comprises essentiallya mast which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is shown ascomprising an upper section 1, an intermediate section 2, and a lowersection 3, the sections 2 and 3 being connected by a joint, as shown,the two sec tions 2 and 3 being made out oi metal tubing and having theadjacent ends thereof mashed down .llat. as shown at l, and connected bymeans (it a bolt 4) and a tlunnb nut (3. Between the overlapping ends tot' the mast sections, a itl'ittlbll plate 7 is interposed, said platebeing roughened, serrated, or toothed on its opposite itaces, so thatwhen the flattened ends of the mast sections are clamped firmly togetherwith the a d of the nut (t, the friction plate 7 will prevent anyaccidental collapse of the upper section relative to the lower sectionof the mast.

The adjacent ends oi the sections 1. and l are threaded, as shown at- 7,and are connected together by a coupling 8 in the lorm oil? aninternally threaded sleeve, as best illustrated in Fig. 9. Supportedupon the coupling S is a disk-shaped 'trog t) which is held in place onthe coupling by means o1 a clamping nut '10. The frog t) is provided onits upper side with a circular series of slotted lugs 11, to which theinner ends of a series of radiating booms 12 are pivotally connected, at13, thereby adapting said booms to swing from their normally horizontalspreading position upwardly to a substantially vertical position, asshown in Fig. 4:.

In connection with each pair oil booms l), I employ a spring, thecentral portion of which is bent in U-shape, as shown at l-l-. andclamped against: the upper face at the tit) frog 9 by means of a sheetmetal clip 15. This clip 15 is punched to form a tubular internallythreaded boss 16 adapted to receive a clamping screw 17 passing upwardthrough a corresponding hole in the frog 9, While the opposite edges ofthe clip 15 are bent down to form confining'flanges 17, within which theU-shaped portion 14 of the spring is held, the rear or inner edge of theclip being also bent downward to form a flange 18 which rests againstthe frog.

The terminal portions of the spring are bent ,to form the oppositelyarranged coils 19, and they terminate in outwardly diverging spring arms20, the extremities of which are bent into the form of eyes 21, throughwhich the booms 12 pass, thereby providing for a relative slidingmovement between the booms 12 and the eyes 21 of the spring arms, inorder to permit the booms 12 to be swung upwardly and downwardly.

22 designates a cover of fabric extending around the mast and outwardlyover the extremities of the booms 12, and then down to any suitabledistance to form a pendant curtain 23. Secured to the inner face of thecurtain 23 are rings or guide loops 24, through which pass operatingcords 25. fhese cords have weights 26 attached to their lowerextremities, and the cords pass upward through eyes 27, near theextremities of the booms 12, and also through openings 28 in the cover,thence upward over the top of the cover 22 and inward through guideopenings 29 in a cap piece ormast head 30 threaded upon the upper end ofthe upper section 1 of the mast.

Surrounding the mast, just below the head or cap 80, is a collar 81 heldin place by a nut 32 threaded on the mast below the collar. From saidcollar stays 33 extend outward to the end portions of the booms 12, towhich they ar connected, as shown at 34, the stays serving to limit thedownward movement of the boms 12 and sustain the same in a substantiallyhorizontal position.

All of the cords passing in through the guide openings 29 in themasthead extend downward through the tubular mast and outward through ahole 35 in the bottom end thereof, as shown in Fig. 5, so that bypulling on all of the cords, the entire set of booms may besimultaneously swung upward or allowed to be drawn downward by theaction of the boom depressing springs hereinabove described.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the device isadapted to be used in connection with fruit and other trees, the mastextending upward through the limbs of the tree, and the cover or canopybeing spread over the top of the tree, while the curtain is allowed todescend any suitable distance, so as to encompass and inclose thebranches. The springs serve to hold the booms at the lower limit oftheir pivotal movement, thereby retaining the protector in a spread outcondition, and said springs serve to throw the booms d ownward, afterthe device has been completely folded to the position shown in Fig. 4.

1Vhen it is desired to expose the tree, the device is collapsed, asshown in Fig. 4, and by then loosening the thumb nut 6, the lowersection of the mast may be drawn to one side, so as to permit the foldedcover and booms to be slid downwardly among the branches of the tree,where the device will be protected against high winds. The manner inwhich the protector is adapted to be folded also facilitates thethrusting of the same upward through the central portion of the tree,preparatory to spreading the same out over the top of the tree.

What is claimed is:

1. A tree protector, comprising a tubular mast, booms pivotallyconnected with the mast, a cover of'fabric supported by the booms andmast, boom depressing springs, and operating cords for swinging thebooms and cover upward toward the mast.

2. A tree protector, comprising a tubular mast, booms pivotallyconnected with the mast, a cover of fabric supported by the boo-ms andmast, boom depressing springs having arms in sliding engagement with thebooms, and operating cords for simultaneously swinging the booms upwardtoward the mast.

3. A tree protector, comprising a tubular mast, booms pivotallyconnected with the mast, a cover of fabric supported by the booms andmast, boom depressing spring arms having terminal eyes through which thebooms pass, and operating cords for simultaneously swinging the boomsupward toward the mast. H

4. A tree protector, comprising a tubular mast, booms pivotallyconnected with the mast, a cover of fabric supported by the booms andmast, a frog on the mast, boom depressing springs attached to said frog,and operating cords for simultaneously swinging the booms upward towardthe mast.

5. A tree protector, comprising a tubular mast, booms pivotallyconnected with the mast, a cover of fabric supported by the booms andmast, a frog on the mast, a sleeve threaded on, the mast at one side ofthe frog, a clamping nut at the opposite side of the frog, boomdepressing springs attached to the frog, and operating cords forsimultaneously swinging the booms upward toward the mast.

6. A tree protector, comprising a tubular mast, booms pivotallyconnected with the mast, a cover of fabric supported by the booms andmast, a frog on the mast having the booms pivotally attached thereto,boom depressing springs also attached to said spring arms engagingadjacent booms, and 10 frog, and operating cords for simnltaneclipsfastening said springs to the fro". ously swinging the booms upwardtoward In testimony whereof I aflix my signature the mast. in presenceof two witnesses.

7. A tree protector, comprising a tnbular ERNEST XV LILJEGRAN' mast,booms pivotally connected with the mast, a cover of fabric supported bythe Witnesses: booms and mast, a frog on the mast, boom R. R. EBRL,depressing springs each embodying two A. S. MACK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

